It’s official; going veggie could save the planet and millions of lives

Vegetarians have been saying it for years and now it's official: adopting a vegetarian diet could save millions of lives worldwide and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study.

Going veggie, say researchers, would also help avoid over £700 billion in costs linked to climate change and healthcare.

The study involved examining the environmental and health impacts of four different diets, each with varying meat, vegetable and sugar intakes, in order to ascertain the links between diet, health and the environment.

Going veggie would help avoid over £700 billion worldwide

As it stands, animal agriculture is responsible for 51% of greenhouse gasses – more than combined exhaust from all modes of transport- due to a series of elements. Researchers found that food-related emissions would be cut by 70% if people went vegan, and 63% of people went veggie. If everyone followed global dietary guidelines, these emissions would only be cut by 29%.

The study also revealed how different regions could be affected by different diets. In higher-income countries such as the West, East Asia and Latin America, reduced red meat consumption would be most beneficial, but in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, increased fruit and veg intake would be most beneficial.

He was also keen to state the economic benefits of adapting our diets, which could save up to £1000 billion each year in healthcare (reduction of obesity) and lost working days, worldwide, saying that:

“Our results indicate that dietary changes could have large benefits to society, and the value of those benefits makes a strong case for increased public and private spending on programmes aimed to achieve healthier and more environmentally sustainable diets.”